


Almost Glad to Be Alone (Until Love Came In On Time)

by closetbidisaster



Series: Fics inspired by songs [4]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-31 15:00:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21147623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/closetbidisaster/pseuds/closetbidisaster
Summary: I was all on my ownAlmost glad to be aloneUntil love came in on time, on timeOrAlex doesn't have the best track record with relationships, but Kelley can help fix that





	Almost Glad to Be Alone (Until Love Came In On Time)

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Loving Is Easy by Rex Orange County
> 
> Request from @daphneblue

“Do you remember the day we met?” 

Kelley looks up from the stove where she’s cooking dinner and glances at her fiancée. She wasn’t expecting the question, but it wasn’t unwelcome. Looking back at the pot full of pasta, she nodded. “Of course I do, love. Why?” Alex walks over to her and hugs her from behind, dropping her chin on Kelley’s shoulder. She hummed softly before responding. “I was thinking about how far we’ve come since that day. I mean, look at us from then until now.”

Kelley turned the stove off before turning around in Alex’s arms to properly face her. “What got you thinking about that?” Alex shrugged, letting go of Kelley and she started playing with Kelley’s fingers. “I guess with the wedding coming up and the invites being sent out, everything is starting to feel real. I’ve been trying to start my vows and I was thinking about our relationship and how we started and how much we’ve changed both individually and together. The day we met was the day everything started. It was the second-best day of my life.”

“And what was the best day of your life?”

“The day you proposed, duh.” Kelley laughed at that. The two moved around the kitchen, preparing their plates before moving to the dinner table. They take their seats and Alex pours them both a glass of wine. As she passes Kelley’s to her, the younger woman shyly smiled and asked again, “Do you remember the day we met?” Kelley nodded again. “Like I could ever forget it, Lex.” 

“So tell me the story.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to hear it from your perspective. I promise to share mine afterward. Please, Kel?”

“Al…”

“Pleaseeeee Kelleyyyyy.”

“Alright, alright. Fine. It was a chilly December morning in 2009. I was 21 and walking into my first National Team camp…”

\---  
December 2009

To say she was nervous was an understatement. She had only recently started seriously considering a professional soccer career and receiving this call up was the first step in the right direction, so she was terrified to screw up. Walking into the hotel, she looked for the coaching staff. As she glanced around, she saw other players lounging around, chatting. She saw big-name players like Hope Solo and Abby Wambach, as well as two of the three “New Kids” from the previous summer’s Olympics. Amy was on the phone while Lauren stood next to her, trying to hear whoever was on the other line. Kelley guessed it was Tobin; the midfielder was absent from this camp due to illness and Kelley was slightly disappointed. She had known Tobin for a little more than three years at this point and was looking forward to seeing her.

“Waiting for room assignments?” Kelley jumped slightly, not noticing someone had appeared next to her. She turned and came face to face with Heather O’Reilley, HAO for short. She just nodded, unable to speak from the shock of the power in the room. Heather smiled kindly before speaking again. “Follow me, rookie.” Kelley finally spoke, “Kelley. My name is Kelley.” HAO turned back to her and smiled slyly. “Oh, I know who you are O’Hara. Irish soul sisters gotta stick together. Even if you went to Stanford.”

Kelley went a little red. “You know who I am and where I went to school?” Heather nodded as the two started walking. “I like to know we’ll be leaving the team to one day.” Kelley couldn’t think straight, finding it all slightly overwhelming. Finally, a staff member appeared and began handing out room assignments. 

“Kelley O’Hara and Alex Morgan.” Kelley looked around, seeking out the younger forward. The two hadn’t officially met before but Kelley certainly knew who Alex Morgan was. A senior at UC Berkley and a member of the 2008 U20 World Cup team that Kelley had dropped from to pursue an NCAA postseason run with Stanford. 

Finally finding the younger player across the room, Kelley flashed a quick smile. Alex, on the other hand, looked a little wary. Kelley tried not to think about it too much as she grabs her gear and key before heading for her room. Alex follows not too far behind, joining her in the elevator. The ride to their floor is quiet as Kelley struggles to find something to say.

“It’s nice to finally, officially meet you. I’m used to seeing you on the opposite side of the field.” Alex looked at her for a minute before responding. “Yeah, I guess that’s true. I heard many things about the ‘Great Kelley O’Hara’ before coming here.” Kelley laughed slightly. “I promise only half of them are true.”  
The elevator door dinged before opening and the two stepped out, heading for their room. “So, how true are the rumors about you sleeping with half the conference?” Kelley freezes, unsure she had actually heard those words come from Alex Morgan’s mouth. “Who the hell started that one?”

Alex shrugged before answering. “How true are they?” Kelley shook her head as she opened the door to their room. “Why does it matter?”

“Just trying to figure out how much of a heartbreaker you are.”

Kelley turned to face the younger player, who was deliberately not looking directly at Kelley. She took notice of the nervous tension Alex seemed to have in her shoulders, as well as noting the way her fingers toyed with the hem of her sweater. “Why do you care?” she finally got out.

Again Alex shrugged. Kelley waited for her to answer, wanting to know why it mattered to the forward who Kelley had slept with and whether or not the rumors were valid. “Just curious to know if all Stanford athletes are egotistical jackasses that sleep with anything that moves or if it’s just my luck.” Kelley’s eyes widen and she tries to process what she just heard. Just her luck? What could she have possibly meant by that? Before she can ask or respond in any way, Alex is continuing.

“I know we only just properly met and that your life is your life. But I really am curious. Because I don’t understand why I keep getting screwed over. And I do keep hearing about this Kelley O’Hara girl who’s a beast on the field but a total softie between the sheets. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.” Alex attempts to lighten the mood at the end, and Kelley feels her face grow hot at the last comment.

“Um, I might need a little more context here.” Kelley scratches the back of her neck awkwardly. Alex takes a tentative step forward, suddenly shier. “Do all Stanford athletes sleep with anybody willing to? Do they all cheat on their girlfriends?” Alex takes another step forward, getting more confident, and Kelley can see hurt in her eyes. “Or is it just the one I happened to choose?” Kelley’s mouth goes dry. She wants to ask Alex who caused her this pain and she wants to make them pay. Despite never truly playing together, Kelley didn’t know the last time she saw Alex without a smile of some sort. And despite meeting only earlier in the day, Kelley had already decided she really liked the taller girl and she wanted to protect her.

Kelley finally answers. “I can’t speak for every athlete, but when I’m in a relationship, I take my commitment to my partner very seriously.” Alex nods, taking a step back, but Kelley catches her hand before she can get any farther. “You deserve someone who will do that for you, Alex. Never settle for less than that.” Alex glances at her hand in Kelley’s before looking into Kelley’s eyes. “Same goes for you. You don’t need to sleep with the whole conference to fill a void or something.” Kelley lets go of Alex and takes a step back from her. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep-” Kelley cuts Alex off. “No, you’re right. I’ve actually decided to wait for the right person to come around. Make it more special, you know?” Alex nods before turning around and grabbing her toothbrush and toothpaste. “Thanks, Kelley. For just, you know, letting me do that.”

“It’s no problem, Al.”

“No funny business tonight O’Hara.”

“Please. I’d at least buy you dinner first, Miss Morgan.”

\---

“At the end of camp, I held my word and bought you dinner. And the rest, as they say, is history.” Kelley wraps the story, holding Alex’s hand as the latter stares at her, eyes full of love. “I think I knew that night. I think I knew we would be something more,” Alex speaks softly, rubbing her thumb across the back of Kelley’s hand.

“Before that day, I thought I wanted nothing more than to be alone for the rest of my life. I had been screwed over one too many times. I thought I’d spend the rest of my life alone, and I thought I was happy about it. And then you came crashing into my life and turned everything around so quickly. I can never thank you enough for that.” Kelley stands up and holds out a hand to Alex.

“Alright, you big softie. Let’s go watch the sunset.” As Alex followed Kelley out to their balcony, she couldn’t feel anything but love for the shorter brunette. Alex sometimes wonders how things would’ve gone differently if they hadn’t been roommates all those years ago. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter because, at the end of the day, she gets to come home to the woman who redefined what love meant to Alex, and she couldn’t be happier to know she would soon get to spend the rest of her life by Kelley’s side.

**Author's Note:**

> @closetbidisaster on Tumblr
> 
> Feel free to drop a song request and I'll look into it!!


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